


Always

by asoulofstars



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU, Diverges from canon, F/M, Follows TV Show, May have book elements later, Starts before canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-25 11:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1647476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asoulofstars/pseuds/asoulofstars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At six years old, Jaime Lannister meets the girl that he loves more than anyone else in all of Westeros. How does little Riona Gallagher change things for the characters we know and love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Taking a Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, Riona is my OFC. She is Lady Riona of House Gallagher. The only child to Lord Liam Gallagher and Lady Katherine Gallagher. She is a mix between Arya and Sansa. She can be a perfect lady, but she can also climb trees and is a natural with sharp, pointy objects. 
> 
> House Gallagher  
> Sigil: Lightning bolt with trinity knot and infinity sign  
> Words: Always expect the storm

Chapter 1: Taking a Fall

Riona skipped around, heading for her favorite field. It was between Lannisport, where she lived, and Casterly Rock. There was a tree right at the beginning of it, a large oak, that she was determined to climb. She had always wanted to reach the top of it, ever since she started climbing the trees surrounding the field. None of them were as hard to climb or as tall as the oak.   
She started up the tree, grabbing hold of the branches and pulling herself up. She was barefoot, allowing for her toes to grasp the bark. Since the bark was smooth, she needed to allow her toes to find the little grooves and help her keep her balance.   
Suddenly, her foot slipped. She let out a shriek, gripping the branch tightly as her feet scrambled against the oak to reclaim their grasp. She whimpered as her fingers started slipping, too. Her toenails dug into the bark of the oak tree, but it was no use. She screamed as her grip on the branch was lost, feeling the wind whip around her as she fell.  
When she landed, it was not as hard of a landing as she expected. And that was due to the groaning boy beneath her. His arms were tight around her waist, and he was sitting up to see if she was okay. Eyes the color of the ocean on a stormy day met shimmering emeralds, and they both let out a sigh of relief. She brushed the golden hair from his eyes, trying to see them better.  
“Thank you,” she whispered finally, voice shaking slightly.  
“You’re welcome. Are you hurt?” he asked her.  
“No, you saved me from that. Are you hurt?”  
“No. Lucky for me, the roots are sparse right here.”  
“I’m Riona,” she offered, holding out her hand as the two children got up off the grassy floor.  
“Jaime.” His lips brushed her hand. “It is a pleasure, Lady Riona.”  
“How do you know that I’m a lady?” Riona asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.  
“Riona is not a common name. You have to be Lady Riona Gallagher. The only child to Lord Liam Gallagher and Lady Katherine Gallagher.”  
“I am. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?” she inquired.  
“Jaime Lannister. Eldest child of Lord Tywin and Lady Joanna.”  
“Lord Jaime,” Riona said with a curtsy.   
Jaime smiled at her. “I’m not a lord yet. Just call me Jaime.”  
“Then just call me Riona,” she retorted, a shy smile creeping across her face.   
“Deal,” Jaime agreed, emerald eyes twinkling at her.  
She felt heat fill her face as a blush rose from chin to hairline. Her wavy, face framing brown hair did not help matters, as it just made the redness more obvious. Jaime’s smile turned smug in an instant, and she gave him a playful shove. He stared at her, and she went running towards the field.  
“I’m gonna get you!” Jaime shouted, sprinting after her.  
“You have to catch me first!” Riona yelled back, giggles flying like her hair through the wind.   
Jaime laughed, trying to run faster. Riona’s bare feet gave her an advantage, allowing her to dig into the grass and dirt beneath her toes and gain a better grip to push herself forward. O the other hand, she was hindered by the skirts of her dress. The dress was already full of dirt and grass stains, and Riona just laughed breathlessly as Jaime tackled her into the tall grass of the field.   
Green obscured their vision as they tumbled through the prickly tall grass. They came to a stop in a patch of the softest, greenest grass that either child had ever seen. It was a deeper green than Jaime’s eyes, softer than Riona’s mahogany waves of hair. Jaime held Riona to him, grinning at her.   
“So, Riona, why were you trying to climb a tree?” Jaime asked her.  
“Because, it’s the only one I haven’t climbed in this area. I want to get to the top. I could see Casterly Rock from the top! I could see Lannisport from the top!”  
“You could see Casterly Rock up close, if you’d like. I’d love to show you around, and my mother would love you.”  
“Really?” Riona asked; she craned her head to look at Jaime’s face.  
“Really,” he replied, nothing but sincerity in his eyes.  
Riona smiled warmly. She felt another falling sensation in her stomach, one that she could not peg. Whatever it was, this fall was a lot better than the plummet from the oak tree.


	2. Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime and Riona play together with some sticks to mimic swords, and Jaime learns a few things about Riona.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mom asked me why Riona was living in Lannisport and still a lady, because Lords and Ladies are that way due to lands, money, and birth. So, I came up with the reason in this chapter. Thank you, Madre. :-)

Chapter 2: Lightning   
Jaime and Riona had started playing together every day. They met at the big oak tree that Riona had fallen from, resulting in their first meeting. They were currently searching for large sticks to use as play swords. Riona found hers first, triumphantly whacking him in the back.  
He turned around, green eyes wide and eyebrows raised. “It’s rude to attack an unarmed opponent, and even more rude to do it when his back is turned.”  
Riona shrugged. “Sorry.”  
“No, you’re not, little runt,” he replied, smirking as he found a stick of his own.  
“No, I’m not,” she giggled.  
Jaime rolled his eyes. He couldn’t help but be amused by how she acted so adorable and innocent and then turned around and whacked him as soon as she could. He knew she was fast on her feet from chasing her, and she was holding the stick like a proper sword. She must have some genetic inheritance at being good with pointy objects, and that was a little strange. Girls were supposed to be good at sewing. He thought that she would have fun, and he could playfully practice a bit more. He did not realize he’d actually be in a match.   
Riona twirled the stick in her hands. She’d found one that was long, but light weight. It wasn’t terribly thick, but thick enough that it wouldn’t snap in half until it was hit a good amount of times.   
“On guard!” she cried, thrusting her stick at Jaime.  
Jaime had to move fast to avoid her. He was unhindered, because he wore trousers while she had to worry about the skirts of her dress, but she was surprisingly quick. She moved and twirled as if she were dancing.   
“How can you do this?” he asked, panting, as they called for a break.  
“Father’s had Ser Reclund teach me. As he has no sons to train, Father wants to make use of his master-at-arms. He says that I’ll be able to get better lessons when our castle is rebuilt. Light Harbor is where I was born, but when we were visiting my mother’s sister in Riverrun, a storm damaged most of the castle.”  
“I’m sorry, Riona.”  
Riona shrugged. “I was too young to remember. We’ve been living in Lannisport since I was three. Father says that Light Harbor will be rebuilt stronger than ever, though! Your father has helped get better materials from what I’ve overheard between Mother and Father.”  
“Where is Light Harbor?” Jaime asked; he did not want to lose his friend so quickly.  
“It’s south of Lannisport. Right by the sea, which is why it’s called Light Harbor. I believe it’s an hour’s ride from here.”  
Jaime hugged her tight. “You must promise to visit.”  
“I promise, Jaime. You must visit, too!”  
He grinned. “I will.”  
“Good. Now, on guard!” Riona ran at him again with her stick.  
“You are a little bundle of lightning, Riona!” Jaime exclaimed, barely getting his stick up to defend himself in time.  
She grinned. “Father calls me Lightning Bolt. Mother doesn’t approve, but she doesn’t say anything, because I finish my lady’s duties before going to play.”  
“Of course you do. Because you are quick as a lightning strike yourself, and you can do it all.”  
“Yes, I can,” she agreed, using her stick to knock him off his feet. “Yield,” she ordered.  
“Did you really just do that?”  
She smiled at him. "Yes. I did. Yield."  
“Fine,” Jaime growled, pushing himself to his feet.


End file.
